Hello fellow readers!  What an interesting new year it has been so far.  This will be a simple and quick little blog update because not much has been happening, but there are a few changes coming up like; Trevor has made quite a bit of progress in his tiny house, and we have been getting word of some family members experiencing ill health. There are some good changes occurring, but also some difficult times ahead. I might also be asking for support and prayers for our senior horse, Willow, but I need to know more first about her condition before I get too far ahead of myself. It could turn out to be nothing, but the harsh winter so far seems to be taking a bit of a toll on the poor girl regardless of all the special care we have tried to shower her with during the inclement weather.

                                            Our senior mare, Willow, waiting out the winter.

On our little homestead here in Oregon, the only other news I have currently can be summed up in two words. 

1. Snow

                         Good morning world and hello snow! This picture was taken Jan. 3, 2022.

2. Weather

That's it. 

Shoveling, watching snow fall, admiring the quiet and beauty outside, drinking hot chocolate, sledding, snowballs, and more shoveling...It's been a beautiful pace. 

We have been feeding and tending to our outside animals about every 4 hours, pretty much around the clock, including feeding some of our areas wildlife, such as deer and hummingbirds to name a few.

It has been a much needed, refreshing, and blessed break from the hectic last year. It gave me (us) time to absorb how fortunate we are, but also to respect that we have worked hard to gain our blessings and this life on a homestead surrounded by nature that we love so much!

The kids are bored right now, it's true, but they are well, healthy, fed, have all their needs met, and will certainly have unique memories to share from their youth. School has just started back up after Christmas break and from the time off for snow days, and spring will be here before we know it.

We were dumped on with snow from before Christmas, then surprised from Mother Nature with ice pellets and two more feet of snow.  After that we experienced heavy chunks of ice seemingly falling from the sky!  The melt off from weeks of teen digit temperatures and continuous ice and snow decided to make quite the dramatic exit from the heavily burdened trees all around us. It was a powerful part of nature to behold. We just finished hunkering down through wind gusts of up to 40 and 50 miles per hour, but the snow is melting, we can make a trip to town to re-stock up on things for both human and animals alike, and we are purely grateful! The small things seem so magnified now.  I am going to style my hair and get dressed up just to go to town.  Why?  Because I can, Hah!

                                    The ice was beautiful but hazardous when falling from the trees.

So...I will leave you now until my next blog post.  Once again, and as always and forever, I send my blessings and love to you all.  Stay well, take care of each other, and enjoy the season!

Amy E. Darr

3 Corners Farm

Mosier, Oregon U.S.A.